Carton



Jan., il, i944, F. c. sHlNA CARTON Filed Dec. l0, 1940 2 SheebS-Sheer. 1

Jan. 11, 1944. F. c. sHlNA 2,339,224

CARTON Filed Dec. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 11,1944

CARTON Frank C.` Shins, Urbana, Ohio, assignor to United Paperboard Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 1o, 1940, serial No. 369,474

5 Claims. (Cl. 229-39) I'he present invention relates to a carton. More particularly, the present invention relates to a carton having an end closure formed by foldable and interlocking flaps.

Although this type of carton is well known in the art, the end flaps as generally provided were of an irregular shape embodying a, plurality of projection and/or ears. These pr'ojections and ears of the prior art were adapted to cooperate with various types of slits, and the carton was generally assembled by inserting one or more of these ears into a cooperating slit.

During the process oi assembly, the projecting ears were oftentimes bent and partly damaged. In many cases they were completely torn from the carton. lIt was generally true that this type of carton could not be easily assembled nor could it be disassembled and reassembled any number o1 times without partly damaging the carton material, and particularly, the material of the proiecting ears. l

Although some of these cartons were intended to be assembled by a simple pressure or snap action, here again it has been customary to provide earsor tabs which were also relatively fragile and capable of being bent or torn. In general also, this latter type of carton, known in the art as a snap lock carton, was more dimcult to manufacture and generally embodied a considerable number of projecting portions and peculiarly shaped ilaps.

It is one of the objects ofthe present invention, therefore, to provide a carton of the snap lock type which is free from projecting ears or tabs. v

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton of the character described with a closure consisting of interlocking flaps of a relatively simple construction.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a carton having interlocking flaps of a simple construction capable of being snapped into interlocking position by simple pressure on opposed aps. 1

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a carton having interlocking flaps of a generally rectangular shape which are adapted to assist in maintaining the shape of the assembled carton.

A fth object of the present invention is to provide an interlocking ap construction for a carton which is capable of resisting pressure tending to open the carton whether or not this pressure is evenly or unevenly distributed.

A sixth object ofthe present invention is to provide an interlocking closure constructionlfor a carton which includes a reinforcing shoulder adapted to assist in maintaining the shape of the carton, and resist pressure tending to open the carton closure.

A seventh object of the present invention is to provide an interlocking closure construction.` including a plurality of substantially rectangular ilaps wherein certain flaps are provided with'slits dening displaceable portions adapted to receive portions of other and adjacent ilaps.

An eighth object `oi the present inventiony is to provide an interlocking closure construction wherein certain displaceable portions of a carton flap are denedby slits extendingangularly toward the center of the ilap from the fold line so as to permit the entry of a portion of an adjacent ap in such position that the portion will lie alongthe fold line and aid in maintaining the shape of the assembled carton.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be evident from the subsequent description and drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view o f a blank adapted to be assembled into the carton of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of an assembled carton according to the present invention.

Fis. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

, Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a blank adapted to be L assembled into a. modified form of carton.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a carton in partially assembled condition.

Fig. 'i is a perspective view of a carton according to the present invention illustrating the interlocking oi the closure ilaps by simple pressure upon two ofthe opposed aps.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one form of a `cartonk trated in the form of .a blank which assumes the regular rectangular form when assembled. Th'e y carton which is indicated in general by the reference numeral I0 includes four side walls, Il, l2, I3 and I4, separated in the blank by the usual fold lines I5, I6 and I1, and provided with a glue flap I8 extending from the side and separated therefrom by the fold line I9.

The closure for the filling end of the carton includes the ordinary side ilaps 20 and 2| extending from the sides I2 and I4 respectively and joined to the sides I2 and I4 by the fold lines 22 and 23.

This end of the carton is also provided with the cover aps 24 and 25 extending from the sides II and I3 and separated therefrom by th'e fold lines 26 and 21 respectively.

The lock proper for this side of the carton includes a pair of ears 28 and 29 on the cover flap 24 and acooperating pair of displaceable portions 30 and 3| on the flap 25 which serve to permitthe interlocking of the flaps 24 and 25 in a manner well known in th'e art.

side flaps 36 and 31 extend from the sides I2 and I4 respectively and are Joined thereto by the fold lines 34' and 35'.

Referring to the novel slit construction, it will be noted that the flap 32, for example, is provided with a pair of angularly disposed slits 38 and 39 which extend from a point adjacent th'e fold line 34 toward the center of the ap 32. It will be noted further, that the slits are slantingly disposed at an acute angle to the fold line 34, and are extended to the fold line by a pair oi' angularly disposed slits 49 and 4|, which', as subsequently pointed out, are adapted to form rein-A forcing shoulders 42 and 43.

At the other end of the slits 38 and 39, there is also provided an additional pair of slits 44 and 45 which are positioned at substantially right angles to 'the slits 38 and 39. Th'e slits 44 and 45 taken together with the slits 38 and 39 define displaceable portions or ears in the i'lap 32, and as hereinafter pointed out, enable the quick assembly of the carton and the interlocking of the flaps 36 and 31. A

Referring to Fig. 8, these displaceable portions are indicated at 46 and 41.

It will be noted that the iiap 33 is similarly provided with slits 48 and 49 which are disposed in entirely similar relationship to the fold line 35 as are the slits 38 and 39 to the fold line 34.

The flap 33 is also provided with short slits 50 y and extending from th'e end of the slits 48 and 49 to the fold line 35. Further, there is also provided in the flap 33 a pair of slits 52 and 53 which similarly function together with the slitsl 48 and 49 to produce displaceable portions 54 and 55 in the flap 33. The short slits 58 and 5I with the slits 48 and 49 also define reinforcing shoulders 56fand 51.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that op- 31 pass through the slits 38 and 49, each located in the flaps 32 and 33 respectively.

This type of construction permits the quick assembly of the box as shown in Fig. 7, by simply pressing the center forward portions of the flaps 36 and 31 downwardly against the previous folded flaps 32 and 33. This pressure will result in the displacement of the portions 46, 41, 54 and 55 to permit the entry of the corners 58, 59, 68 and 6I into the respective slits 39, 48, 38 and 49.

It will be noted that when the box .is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the reinforcing shoulders 42, 43, 56 and 51 are on the outside of the box, and effectually help to resist any pressure which' would tend to .open the box. These shoulders` however, may be omitted in larger boxes made of a rela.- tively stiffer cardboard, and this type of construction is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 9.

As shown in these figures, the flap 32 isy provided with a pair of slits 62 and 63 which corresponds in general to the slits 38, 39, 40 and 4| of Fig. 1, inasmuch as both of the slits 62 ande63 extend centrally at an acute angle from the fold line 34. There is also provided in this modification, a pair of slits 64 and 65 at substantially right angles to4 the slits 62 and 63. 'I'he slits 62 and 64, and the slits 63 and 65 respectively, define displaceable portions 66 and 61, as shown in Fig, 9, The flap 33 of this modification is similarly provided with slits 68, 69, 10 and 1| which cooperate to form the displaceable portions 12 and 13.

It will be obvious that the type of closure shown in Figs. 5 and 9 may be interlocked in a manner entirely similar to the type of carton disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4 and 7 to 8 inclusive. When interlocked, however, no reinforcing shoulders, corresponding to the shoulders 42, 43, 56 and 51, are formed.

As previously stated, in a larger type of carton employing a. stiifer cardboard, the reinforcing shoulders are not essential.

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for a carton including a pair of opposed flaps having a substantially rectangular shape extending from two Sides of the carton and a second pair of flaps extending from the other two sides each flap being substantially coextensive with its respective side, a pair of fold lines at the junction of said last mentioned flaps and sides, a pair of angularly disposed slits in each of said last mentioned flaps each having a portion extending from said fold lines and a second pair of slit portions provided in said flaps extending at an angle from said first portions to define displaceable sections of said flaps said displaceable portions and slits cooperating with said first mentioned flaps to secure said flaps in interlocking and operative position.

2. Aclosure for a carton including a pair of opposed aps having a substantially rectangular shape extending from two sides of the carton and a, second pair of flaps extending from the other two sides, a pair of fold lines at the junction of said last mentioned flaps and sides, a pair of angularly disposed slits in each of said last mentioned flaps, each slit having a portion extending from said fold lines at an acute angle and a second portion extending at a substantial angle from said first mentioned portion in a direction away from the fold lines to denne displaceable sections of said iiaps adapted to be displaced by a portion of the first flaps when the same are positioned in interlocking relationship with said second flaps,

said last mentioned portions of said first flaps when extended through said slits being each positioned along a respective fold line of said second mentioned flaps. Y

3. In a snap locking carton, a pair of closure naps extending from adjacent sides of'said carton in overlapping relationship and each folded along a linear fold line, one of said closure flaps being provided witha slit portion extending at an acute angle from a point adjacent the respective fold line of said flap, a second slit portion provided in said iiap as a continuation of the ilrst slitand extending in a direction away fron; the said fold line and at substantially a right angle thereto, said slits dening a, dsplaceable section of said closure iiap adapted to be displaced by a portion of the second :flap when the same is positioned in interlocking relationship with the rst ilap and a third slit portion in said rst flap extending at an angle from the rst slit portion toward the fold line to produce a reinforcing shoulder, said portion of 4the second ap when extending through said slit being positioned along the fold line of the rst mentioned flap.

4. In a snap locking carton, a pair of closure aps extending from adjacent sides of said carton, said ilaps being coextensive with said sides and folded along a linear fold line into overlapping relationship, one of said closure ilapsv being provided with a slit having a portion extending from its respective fold line at an acute angle, the opposite end of said slit portion terminating in a further slit portion at substantial right angles to said rst slit portion in a direction away from said fold line to define a displaceable section of said closure iiap adapted to be displaced by a portion of the second ap when the same is positioned in interlocking relationship with said rst nap, said portion of the second nap when extended through said slit portions being positioned along the fold line of whereby to reinforce said iap.

5. In a snap locking carton, a pair of closure naps extending from adjacent sides of said carton in overlapping relationship, each of said l:lilaps being coextensive with its respective side and folded along a linear line, one of said closure flaps being provided with a slit having a portion v extending at 'an acute angle with respect to the fold line from a point adjacent said fold line and adapted to receive a portion of said second ap for interlocking engagement therewith, and a second slit portion extending at a less acute angle from the first slit portion to the 4fold line, said slit portions forming a displaceable shoulder for reinforcing and lockinglsaid second flap portion.

FRANK C. SHINA.-

the first mentioned flap 

